do the headers now or wait?

Thought I would post the link for Stainless Headers .....although their website only shows the 458 headers: http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrBTv15uZBU7l8AOlHrFAx.;_ylu=X3oDMTByODJtaWUzBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkAw--/RV=2/RE=1418799609/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fwww.stainlessheaders.com%2f/RK=0/RS=V9.0ZdjVQi3aML8jPXoWeIisNBM-

You mentioned that Dave Helms won't install Fabspeed .....well I recall a post of his saying he won't recommend Tubi headers either due to some issues with quality & warranty in july of 2012.

I asked prior if you were intending to install the Ricambi sourced rebuilt headers....despite posts on here citing failures with the nature of rebuilds (temporary repair). For example (again) http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/348-355-sponsored-bradan/314817-qv-london.html
If you go with rebuilt just make sure you clarify the current quality (maybe their better now?..have no idea) and warranty so that if issues arise there are no surprises.

Both Fabspeed and Tubi are a fine product.....different price points but you can't go wrong with either.
Have you contacted Stainless Headers for a quote? That may be the way for you to go...especially if you wish to re use the OEM heat shields.
I think you need to make your own mind up on what type of headers you wish to install but you need to do your research.....theres +/- to every option.

 

Especially when FBB and Ernie are wrestling in the garage over something stupid and Gothspeed and I are turning the wrenches...

If you want more performance and reliability and you have the funds, I'd swap headers now.

 

I repiped my factory header it was approx $150 at meineke they cut the pipes out and weld new ones in, obviously the flanges and merge collectors are re used but I wrap the header with high temp titanium wrap and have not had any issue in over a year. In fact the right side was done first and I infared gunned the temps, my wrapped unit stays 130 degrees cooler than the clamshell original I ran on the LH. Just pulled the left header the other day and it is currently getting the same treatment..

Some might not agree with me on this however because it isnt a chinese JIN TECH fab speed unit.

JIM TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD - Exhasut system,Header

 

With all the talk of header failures, 4 years ago I was thinking I should remove my OEM heat shields to examine them pro actively.......well I never got around to it and 3 years ago I was driving and my right header failed....fortunately I was less than 20 minutes from home (usually I am several hours away when I drive the 355) when they blew and drove home very sedately. I removed both headers....which took a few hours and cut off the heat shields. What I found was the left hand header was seriously deformed but still intact/ the right header was even more deformed but blown out.
This is why I regret NOT TAKING MY OWN ADVICE earlier and properly examining the headers by removing the heat shields. The blow out of the right header was sudden. A smoke test prior to that day would have shown that the headers were intact but it does not reveal when your headers will blow.... & it could be in 5 minutes.
I looked at what was out there and installed Fabspeed Headers. Yes it costs 3g but the build quality (stainless & welds ) is excellent ( I am a welder among other things).

I had the headers ceramic coated with the 2000 degree black coating both inside and out.
I had previously thermally scanned the OEM headers and they ran from 550 to 580 degrees f. I thermally scanned the Fabspeed headers and they ran 600-650 degrees f.
Thats actually not bad but I wanted to try an experiment....as I mig weld..I hand fabricated full metal heat shields (no insulation but a larger air gap and they are fully removeable with a few bolts (takes a few minutes to re and re so if I wish to examine them it is no bid deal).
When I thermally scanned the headers with heat shields the temperature was only 300 - 350 degrees f. It was so low I could touch the header shields after a hot run on the highway (try that with an oem header and you will have serious burns). I have run them for 3 years with absolutely no issues at all. As I have the metal heat shields I probably should have not wasted the $ on the ceramic coating.

 

Completed repiped header install
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Photos of the carnage
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Do you have any pictures of the repaired header before you wrapped the pipes in header wrap?
& can you post them?
Did they replace ALL the header pipes (except the flanges) for $150.00?

Is this the co who did the repair? http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LEV2Y61ZBUbVoAhBjrFAx.;_ylu=X3oDMTByMG04Z2o2BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkAw--/RV=2/RE=1418806714/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fwww.meineke.ca%2f/RK=0/RS=XCochLuvq6JC8.Si9cO51.yJmOM-

 

4 into 2 design from Stainless Headers....they are very nice.

 

Here is the pipe half wrapped I don't have any more pictures 3 of the primaries were replaced the 4th was found to be in great shape with no bulging. The pipes that rub each other blow apart, stand alone they are fine.

Titanium heat wrap is sufficient, it blocks most heat. I drove 7000 miles like this no alternator failure and I only had this car 1.5 yr.

Yes any meineke can help. No one can see the welds anyways once its wrapped and its easy to check if a leak surfaces now!!! FLAME SUIT ON !!! GHETTTO
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You can't see the failure with clam shells on. Keep that in mind.

 

I actually still have the clam shell and decided not to put it back on. First, it has to be grinded on the seam to come apart, and there is not alot of extra material to play with. I opted for the wrap because the insulation inside the cover was removed anyways (asbestos?) . With infared testing, it stays substantially cooler than the clam shelled header and I can easily find a failure now in case a leak did happen. Like I said no problems, this was a no brainer for me since $3000 for chinese crap was out of the question, different sound, merge collector, fitment issues etc. Not bashing fabspeed its not their fault since they don't actually produce them since they are from taiwan JIN TECH but those are the facts, I spoke to two reputable shops who both say there are problems lining up the headers to exhaust and I dont like the deeper tone. But that is subjective and it is of my opinion that the factory header is a repairable item. Call it a bandaid, but at 8500 rpm the way it screams I can't hear you.

Lol.

 

can someone clarify regarding Ricambi headers??

someone asked more then once prior

does Ricambi actually offer a new aftermarket header
or is it just the QV London repair/rebuild service ?

 

Our manifolds are done by JP Exhausts in England. We have worked with several other partners over the years, and not found anyone who does it more consistently than JP. The majority of the cost in this process is freight and duty/taxes.

Over the last 18 months, we spent a large amount of time (and money) working with a domestic supplier who builds NASCAR manifolds --- after all, we're in oval track heaven here in North Carolina. The sad truth, like so many Ferrari "projects", is that our little Ferrari community simply does not have the volume or price flexibility to actually support a homegrown effort. We desperately wanted a legitimate "Made in the USA" solution that fit the realities of our market, but could not achieve it. Believe me, I had Aaron driving down to Mooresville NC so many times, I think he was starting to lose his mind.

JP is a wonderful company to work with and we've built a great relationship with them. We almost always have multiple sets of 5.2 and 2.7 on our shelf ready for shipment, then play round-robin with the customer cores getting them rebuilt. (full disclosure, we have 3 sets in the rebuild pipeline now, and stocks are somewhat thin. It has been an unusually busy December).

Hope this answer helps. Please feel free to contact me directly for additional questions.

 

ok thanks for clarifying..

JP like QV is a repair/rebuild service..

if I understand, with QV, you send your headers and get yours back repaired..
but with JP, it seems you send your headers, and get a different set back that have been rebuild..? is this correct..?

Im all for the most cost effective way to resolve the headers issue..
and prefer to stick to the stock demensions of headers with shields...

but I think the biggest concern as most people have described in previous threads, with a rebuild service, is that its just a patch up.. of the crack/hole/leak. and not a solution to the otherwise thin gage of metal used on the oem headers..

does JP do this as well.. or do they actually replace the piping..?

some photos of JP, before/after without heat shields on so we can see the work, and description of what they do would be great.

 

This is incorrect.

We have manifolds on the shelf here at Ricambi America, ready for shipment to the customer that have already been rebuilt by JP. When the customer cores arrive to us, we send them back to England. Eventually they find their way back to us in North Carolina and we stock them. That way, the customer generally has no real waiting time for the fixed manifolds. The turnaround time at JP is about 10+ days, plus shipping transit times and customs clearance.

I suppose in essence you're really getting the last guy's rebuilt manifolds instead of yours. The reality is however, all the pipes are changed out. So, unless you've carved your initials into the heat shields or something, its somewhat immaterial.

 

I have posted pictures of these multiple times on Fchat. But, since the search function isn't all that great here we have it again:
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Remember, when they arrive back to the customer, the insulation is reinstalled and the heat shields are tacked back into place. This is an "in process" shot.

 

ok that is great..! so the piping is completely redone..
while maintaining stock size and heat shields etc..
for me, this answers the route I will take when the time comes to do mine.

I checked Ricambi site.. if I searched correctly this is $2700 for the set all in..?
including shipping to send my set in..

is there any warranty offered.?